Display card



W. H. DORING DISPLAY CARD Nov. 5, 1968 Filed June 28, 1966 INVENTOR WILLIAM H DORING BY ATTORNEY United States 3,408,758 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 3,408,758 DISPLAY CARD William H. Doring, Old Greenwich, Conn., assiguor to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,260 Claims. (Cl. 40-1241) This invention relates to a display device or card particularly adapted for the display and support of an article having a recessed end.

Marketers of many household articles have found that proper display devices provide an excellent stimulus for sales, and the art is replete with suggestions for display cards to which such articles can be aflixed. It has also been found, however, that if it is difficult to remove the articles from the display device, the consumer is aggravated to the extent that he may not make a repeat purchase.

In accordance with this invention a display card for an article having a recessed end is provided which securely, attractively and easily releasably supports the article. A particular article of this type is a flashlight having a hollow lens ring extending beyond the end of the flashlight casing, and the invention will be described with particular reference to such an article.

The invention comprises a display card having a main body portion having an aperture therein for hanging the card on a suitable support such as a hook and a cup-like concave plug portion formed in or attached to the main body portion, the main body portion of the card being scored and partially cut in the vicinity of the plug portion to provide a hinge area for the plug portion. The plug portion is adapted to fit securely but releasably within the recessed end of the article to be displayed and supported and through hinge action provided by the scores and cuts in the hinge area to display and support the article in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the main 'body portion of the card when it is hung on a support.

Preferably the plug portion is provided with a plurality of ribs arranged substantially parallel to its longi tudinal axis to provide gripping action with the inner walls of the recess in the article to be displayed. If desired the main body portion of the card may provide one or more receptacles for articles to be used in association with the articles to be displayed as for instance batteries to be used in a flashlight. Also, the plug portion may be provided with a cover which may have indicia printed thereon or formed therein. Such a cover may be substantially flat and arranged at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the plug and adapted to support a substantially flat article. When a covered plug is used, the cuts and scores in the main body portion should be so arranged as to provide ready detachability of the plug from the card. If the article to be displayed is a flashlight, the plug can then be removed from the card and used as a signalling device or to provide an illuminated image. In such case the plug should be trans lucent.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a display card of the invention showing (part being broken away) its use to display and support a flashlight;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view partially in section of the card and flashlight of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modified display card; and

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of a display card and modified plug parts being broken away.

Referring now to the drawing a display card embodying the invention is shown having a main body portion 10 provided with an aperture 11 enabling the card to be hung on a suitable hook or like suport. A plug portion 12 which may have an outward flare 13 (FIG. 3) is hingeably movable at least about with respect to the main body portion 10 by reason of a cut 14 and scores 16 defining a hinge area. The plug 12 is provided with ribs 17 which assist in providing a secure but releasable fit of the plug 12 in the recessed lens ring 18 of a flashlight 20. The ribs 17 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plug 12, that is are generally parallel to its concavity. As shown in FIG. 2, a lip 19 may be provided on the lens ring 18 to cooperate with the ribs 17. In the main body portion 10 of the display card illustrated in FIG. 3, receptacles 22 are provided for batteries, a battery 24 being shown in one such receptacle. In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 3 a cover 26 is provided for the plug portion 12, and the cover 26 is provided with an image 27 formed therein.

Another embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises a plug 12, particularly for use with a flashlight. The plug 12 is provided wtih a cover having a flat surface 28 preferably defined by a peripheral ridge 30, the flat surface 28 being at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the plug 12. This device, which may be utilized as a part of a display card for a flashlight may be used in conjunction therewith when made of translucent material for examination of an object placed on the flat surface 28 and illuminated by a light source in the flashlight. For instance, it may be used as a viewer for transparencies.

The display card of the invention may be formed of any desired, conventional material such as cardboard but at least the plug portion should be flexible and resilient to provide a snap-in, snap-out type fit in the recess of the article to be displayed and supported. Conventional plastics such as cellulose acetate, polyvinyl chloride, vinyl copolymers, polyethylene, polypropylene and the like are preferred materials for use in fabricating the device.

If an uncovered plug is used, it may be integral with the main body portion. If a covered plug is used, the cover is conveniently integral with the main body portion and a separate plug portion may be attached thereto by cementing, heat-sealing or other known method.

The ribs 17 provided on the plug portion 12 improve resiliency thereof and also permit escape of air from the recess of an article into which the plug is placed making for ease of insertion. The snugness of fit is enhanced by the lip 19 which may be provided in the recess of the article.

It will be seen particularly from FIG. 1 that when the plug 12 is inserted in the recessed portion (lens ring) 18 of an article (flashlight) 20 and the main body portion 10 is supported, the plug 12 and article 20 may be hingeably moved about 90 so as to display and support the article in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the main body portion 10. If the card is supported from a hook on a typical display board, the article secured to it may contact such board to assist in holding the article in a substantially vertical portion.

It will be readily apparent that the display card of the invention is simple yet effective and presents an article in an attractive manner. Of course, suitable sales or other messages may be imprinted on the main body portion in an easily readable position. And when a covered plug is used it may constitute a useful premium, provision being made by the cut 14 and scores 16 for its ready detachability from the main body portion 10.

While specific illustrative description of the display card of the invention has been given herein in detail,

various modifications within the scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A display card adapted to support an article having a recessed end, said card having a main body portion having an aperture therein for hanging said card on a support and a cup-like concave plug portion in said card, said main body portion being scored and partially cut to provide a hinge area for said plug portion, said plug portion being adapted to fit securely but releasably within the recessed end of said article and through hinge action provided by said hinge area to display and support said article in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said main body portion when said card is hung on a support, said plug portion having a plurality of ribs substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof adapted to grip the inner side walls of the recess of said article to be displayed.

2. A card as defined by claim 1 in which said main body portion is provided with at least one receptacle formed integrally therein for an article associated in use with said first article.

3. A card as defined by claim 1 in which said plug is provided with a cover and is detachable from said main body portion as a unit.

4. A card as defined by claim 3 in which said plug is translucent and said cover bears an image.

5. A card as defined by claim 3 in which said plug is translucent and said cover is substantially flat and defines a plane at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said plug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,736 11/1917 Ketler 40-311 1,848,951 3/1932 Haynes 40-131 2,208,354 7/ 1940 Anderson 40-21 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DISPLAY CARD ADAPTED TO SUPPORT AN ARTICLE HAVING A RECESSED END, SAID CARD HAVING A MAIN BODY PORTION HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN FOR HANGING SAID CARD ON A SUPPORT AND A CUP-LIKE CONCAVE PLUG PORTION IN SAID CARD, SAID MAIN BODY PORTION BEING SCORED AND PARTIALLY CUT TO PROVIDE A HINGE AREA FOR SAID PLUG PORTION, SAID PLUG PORTION BEING ADAPTED TO FIT SECURELY BUT RELEASABLY WITHIN THE RECESSED END OF SAID ARTICLE AND THROUGH HINGE ACTION PROVIDED BY SAID HINGE AREA TO DISPLAY AND SUPPORT SAID ARTICLE IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID MAIN BODY PORTION WHEN SAID CARD IS HUNG ON A SUPPORT, SAID PLUG PORTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF RIBS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF ADAPTED TO GRIP THE INNER SIDE WALLS OF THE RECESS OF SAID ARTICLE TO BE DISPLAYED. 